First black metal labelMain article: Black Metal Inner CircleØystein Aarseth's independent label, Deathlike Silence Productions, became the first label to dedicate itself purely to black metal. Deathlike Silence only released records by bands "that incarnated evil in its most pure state". The label would become home to Aarseth's own band, Mayhem, as well as other black metal acts like Burzum. Aarseth also opened his own record store, Helvete (Norwegian for "Hell"), as a prime outlet for black metal records.[7] With the rising popularity of his band and others like it, the underground success of Aarseth's label is often credited for encouraging other record labels that previously refused black metal acts to then reconsider and release their material.

[edit] Church burningsHeadliners of the black metal scene claimed responsibility for inspiring (if not necessarily perpetrating) over 50 arsons directed at Christian churches in Norway from 1992 to 1996[7]. Many of the buildings were hundreds of years old, and widely regarded as important historical landmarks. The most notable church was Norway's Fantoft stave church, which the police believed was destroyed by Varg Vikernes of the one-man band Burzum[7]). However, Vikernes would not be convicted of any arson offences, until his arrest for the murder of Øystein Aarseth in 1993 (see below). The cover of Burzum's EP Aske (Norwegian for "Ash") portrays a photograph of the Fantoft stave church after the arson; it is still unconfirmed whether or not he took this picture himself.

Today, opinions differ within the black metal community concerning the legitimacy of such actions. Guitarist Infernus and vocalist Gaahl of the band Gorgoroth have praised the church burnings in interviews, with the latter also opining "there should have been more of them, and there will be more of them."[3] However, Necrobutcher, one of the founding and current members of Mayhem, was quoted as saying "I think it's ridiculous, especially the people that lit up our old fuckin' churches. They don't realize that these were actually Heathen churches, before Christianity. So they fucked themselves in the ass by doing that."[3]

[edit] Ohlin's suicideIn 1991, attention towards black metal increased when Mayhem's frontman Per Yngve Ohlin (stagename Dead) committed suicide via shotgun blast to the head, which followed a series of self-inflicted lacerations to his arms. His note simply read "Excuse all the blood" and contained an apology for firing the weapon indoors. Some sources say that he explicitly said "The knife was too dull, so I used the shot gun". The ammunition was supplied weeks prior to the incident by Varg Vikernes, who played bass for Mayhem on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Dead's body was discovered by fellow bandmate Øystein Aarseth (also known as Euronymous), who, instead of calling the police, ran to a nearby convenience store and bought a disposable camera to photograph the corpse, modeling the body in various positions. The pictures were later stolen and one was used as the cover image for an infamous bootleg Mayhem album, (Dawn of the Black Hearts). Claims that Aarseth took pieces of Dead's brains and made a stew out of them eventually surfaced, as well as claims that the members of the band made a necklace from the bone fragments of their friend's skull. Although the band declared that the former claim was false (but was indeed planned), the latter, they claimed, was true. They additionally claimed to have given pieces of the necklace to different bands they deemed "worthy". [3]

[edit] Murder in LillehammerIn 1992, Bård "Faust" Eithun of Emperor was in Lillehammer to see the newly constructed Olympic park. According to Faust (in Lords of Chaos), a homosexual man named Rhys Adamec approached him and suggested that they go together in the nearby forest. Faust claims he agreed and that, once in the forest, the man made potent sexual advances on him. Faust retaliated and stabbed the man to death with a hunting knife, later citing the incident as a crime of passion. The case went unsolved until late 1993, when police began to investigate the church burnings and murder surrounding Varg Vikernes; such investigation of the black metal scene led police to Faust, and he served just over 9 years of a 14 year sentence before being released in 2003.

[edit] Aarseth's murderIn 1993, Øystein Aarseth (Euronymous) of Mayhem was murdered by Varg Vikernes during a late night confrontation at Aarseth's home. According to official reports, Øystein received a total of twenty-three stab wounds: two to the head, five to the neck, and sixteen to the back. The circumstances of the murder are not entirely clear, and numerous stories have surfaced as a result. Rumors stated the act was merely Varg's attempt at "out doing" the stabbing committed by Faust in Lillehammer the year before [8]. Other sources attribute the crime a power struggle between Vikernes and Aarseth. The closing of Aarseth's record store (Helvete) may have alluded to a financial dispute over the profits from Varg's records as Burzum (Burzum, Aske). Despite this, Vikernes himself claims the murder was not premeditated and was an act of self-defense, and that Aarseth had conspired to videotape the torture and eventual murder of Varg as a result of jealousy. Varg asserts that he had been informed of this plan by friends whom Aarseth attempted to conspire with, and that Aarseth attacked him first upon their visit that night, resulting in the murder.[9] Additionally, Vikernes defends that most of the cut wounds found on Aarseth's body were caused by broken glass shards he had fallen on during the conflict.[9]

Regardless of the circumstances, Vikernes was arrested within days, and in 1994, was sentenced to 21 years in prison in conjunction with a few arson charges. In a controversial display, Vikernes actually smiled at the moment his verdict was read [9], an image that was widely reprinted in the news media during the following weeks. Varg has since released two ambient music albums (Dauði Baldrs, Hliðskjálf) but implied in interviews that he would write material similar to his older works upon his release from prison. While granted a short leave in 2003, Vikernes attempted to escape his bounds in Tønsberg, Norway, resulting in another arrest, during which he was caught with a stolen vehicle and various firearms [10]. As a result, his request for parole was denied in 2006, and he is currently awaiting another chance in April 2008 [11].

As for Mayhem, the murder of Aarseth almost put a stop to new material. However, the band continues to perform to this day, lead by drummer Hellhammer and original member/bassist Necrobutcher. Controversy still follows the band, albeit not nearly as much. In 2003, a concert-goer in Norway received a fractured skull as a dead sheep's head flew from the stage while band member Blasphemer was cutting the head away from the torso.

Anyway that photo kind'a reminded me of a record cover of one of the Norwegian "Black Metal" bands.